AN: Hello!
Worker 72, I came up with an answer.
Chapter 7: Red, at April 11 at the latest.
Chapter 6: A New Addition
Floor 35: Field Dungeon-Forest of Wandering
Silica ran through the forest, chased by [Drunken Apes]. She stopped and turned around, dagger held. She avoided their attacks, constantly rolling around. Her [Feathered Little Dragon] healed her to half health. She checked her back pockets for more potions.
None whatsoever.
Distracted, the enemy slammed her towards a tree three feet away.
Dazed and confused, Silica's health bar fell to the red zone, and let go of her dagger, landing a considerable distance away. The apes were coming towards her, health bars at full capacity.
Silica looked around for her weapon, then was interrupted by an ape driving it's club towards her head.
If it wasn't interrupted by her pet.
The tiny animal crumpled under the force, and exploded into a mass of polygons. Right in front of her owner.
And left a glowing feather.
Silica faced the monsters, ready to accept her fate.
Until she heard voices, among the trees. She snatched the feather and ran towards it.
"Klein, enough with the house," Kirito groaned.
"Help!" A girl burst from the bushes, pursued by enemies.
Asuna jumped into action and quickly obliterated them. Silica, accepting the situation, teared up, cradling the feather.
"What's that?" Asuna pointed towards the feather.
"It's my…"
"You're a beast tamer?" Klein asked. He took the silent answer as yes.
"Thanks for helping me, I was stupid, and arrogant, to think I could leave here alone," Silica faced them.
"Well, it's not like we had a-mmph!" Dynamm silenced Kunimittz.
"What's the item name?" Kirito knelt beside Silica. She opened it's interface. A flood of grief entered her again.
"Wait, don't cry."
"If it's Pina's Heart, we could revive it." Kirito explained.
"At the south side of Floor 47, there's a flower that can revive them, three days after it's death."
"Three days, I'm so sorry, Pina," Silica heard a chime. [Trade] Klein started to put in items the guild got at Floor 53.
"This should be good for, what, six levels?" Klein put the trade request forward, opening another window in front of Silica.
"Wait, are you actually serious?"
"This was some loot we got, and we were going to sell it anyway," Klein still fiddled around.
"It's not like we can leave you here," Asuna patted her head.
"I'm Silica," she held a hand out to Asuna.
"Asuna." They shook hands.
Floor 35: Mishe
The guild walked toward the inn. Silica noticed that people around them took one look at her, then another look at the rest of the group, and walked the other way.
"What guild is this," Silica asked Klein.
"Fūrin Kazan," she stepped back.
"The Elementals?!"
"I still don't like that nickname," Dynamm muttered.
"Yeah,"
"Wait, why are you taking me in?" Silica asked again.
"…to revive your familiar?"
"After that?"
"Then, I dunno, you can either join us or not." He shrugged.
"Maybe, but you probably just want a mascot,"
"Whoa, wait! What do you mean?"
"The party I was in, just wanted me to be a symbol. 'The first Beast Tamer'." She sighed.
"Trust me, we want people opposite of that,"
"I hope so,"
Klein stopped. A group blocked their path.
"Oh, Silica, is that you?" A provocative woman bent down.
"And where's that lizard?" She looked around her shoulders
"Okay, what are you doing?" Asuna stepped between them.
"I'm just greeting her, no need to be pushy," Rosalia analyzed her.
"You don't seem to be that strong," Asuna was angered by the snobbery.
"Want to bet?"
"Asuna, calm down," Kirito grabbed her shoulders and pulled her out.
"Hmph," Rosalia left. The guild started to whisper at her. She looked back, dead serious. Then continued on her way.
"What was that about?" Kirito asked.
"That was the party I left," Silica said softly.
"Now, where are we staying?" She said brightly.
Floor 47: Flower Garden
Silica wore the new equipment. The clothes were lighter, yet stronger.
"The entire map is covered in flowers." Kirito said to no one in particular.
"It can't possibly…" Silica looked to the horizons. The hills were coated with the colourful plants. And the enormous amount of couples. She blushed a little bit, but shrugged it off. Surely people can recognize the difference.
Asuna felt uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. She materialized her cloak and hid. Kirito noticed that, and began to ponder. He immediately reddened and strayed to the back of the group. Klein chuckled.
"What?" Kirito muttered.
"Nothing." They proceeded to begin the journey. Then Silica got ambushed by some plant…thing.
"Help!" Her voice cracked, as her foot is caught by a tentacle, and she was hanging above a giant mouth.
"You can handle it! You got the gear!" Klein shouted. She frowned, and tried to sever the tentacle. She soon broke free, and stabbed the plant.
"Nice work!" Klein grinned.
She got ambushed three more times. Soon, they reach the flower.
"Wait, Kirito, this is it?" Klein pointed to the flower.
"…no."
"Well, that's not cryptic at all," Klein said sarcastically. Suddenly, a ghost rose from the ground. It revealed five bars of HP.
[Guardian of Memories] Silica took her dagger out from a sheath opposite of the bottom of her stomach.
"Silica, what's your level?"
"68,"
"You can take care of this by yourself!"
"What?!" Silica exclaimed, before having to dodge a ghostly sword. The group started to get ready, until Klein signalled them otherwise.
"Klein, what are you thinking?!" Asuna pulled her hood back.
"She can handle it. She said that she doesn't want to be a mascot, so," Klein gestured at Silica.
"You want her to prove herself?" Issin guessed. At that moment, the ghost died.
"Klein, why didn't you help?" Silica walked towards him.
"Well, same case as the plant monsters. Prove yourself that you don't want to be 'a symbol'."
"That was a miniboss," Silica struggled to keep her voice steady.
"And you handled it. Your HP is still very high." Klein was right. Silica started to feel proud of herself.
"I guess you're right," Silica smiled. Then noticed Asuna and Kirito acting awkward.
"What's with them?"
"They have crushes with each other," Issin spoke.
"How can you tell?" Klein responded conspiratorially.
"If it's only one, the other will be acting normally, or at least, try to. Also, he or she will not keep sneaking glances." Issin explained. Klein examined Kirito's eyes. After the teenager gazed at a specific body part, Klein was sure.
"Dude, I seriously want to know how your head works."
They kept walking until they went over a bridge. Kirito noticed a ghost of a colour curser among the trees.
"Wait!" Kirito yelled.
"Come out!" Rosalia walked out of the trees, looking impressed.
"Excellent Searching Skill," She pretended to admire. Then continued.
"Not like it's going to help you. Hand over the flower!"
"No! I fought for it!" Silica retaliated. The woman seemed unfazed.
"Hand it over, and your gear, and no one will get hurt," Klein started to walk forward.
"I really don't want to fight right now." At that moment, Rosalia snapped her fingers. A group of orange players emerged from hiding.
"Still want to fight?" Klein looked around at the bandits.
"Sure, yeah," Rosalia was at boiling point.
"I have no problems PK-ing. There isn't any evidence to support the brain frying claim," She announced.
"Not like you will," he commented.
"Attack!"
The first bandit charged at Klein, a slender man with a blue trench coat. He swung a horizontal cut. Klein ducked, pulled out his katana, stabbed him, and kicked him a dozen feet away. He responded to another, almost topless bandit behind him, this time with a downward hack, which Klein immediately parried, sidestepped, and hacked his chest, knocking him aside. A bandit with off white attacked him, with a similar attack, and Klein broke the sword.
The guild was speechless after the show of reflexes. Kirito made a mental note to train harder in his other skill.
"Want to fight now?" Klein asked. The two members he incapacitated were at 1/10th health.
"No." Rosalia waved a hand. Her guild lowered weapons, accepting defeat.
"Right. Off you go, to prison," Klein pulled out a Corridor Crystal.
"Wait! Before you do that, we are not the enemy. You are!" Rosalia pulled out her final card.
"How? We help clear the game!"
"You never help us! You're so busy ignoring us and taking everything for yourself, leaving nothing to the rest of us!" She gestured at the guild's poor equipment. Klein stayed silent.
"This is how we survive the monsters! We can't farm animals, you take everything." Her voice cracked under pressure. Klein started to open his menu. A trade request started to appear. One Mega Cor appeared on her side.
"Klein, what-" Kirito's mouth was covered with Asuna's hand.
"Shut up, Kirito." She said softly.
"Just let him," The rest silently agreed.
"I'll give your guild one million Cor, but try to be a clearing guild," Rosalia nodded.
"You gave me a very good reason to do this. Don't stab me in the back. Oh, and one thing. Why are you the leader, when you seem to be the weakest?"
"I'm the bait for targets. They need me," The two groups departed.
"I really want to join now," Silica responded to Klein.
Silica entered Issin's room for skills assessment. Pina happily resided at her head.
"Tell me your skills," Issin said calmly, sitting cross legged at the floor.
"Um," Silica sat in front of him.
"I use a dagger, have a familiar, use light armor- is that important, like weapon skills, or all?"
"All, obviously,"
"Use Light Armor, and Acrobatics."
Issin thought for five minutes. Silica sat nervously.
"…oh, yes, you can be a…"
"Be what?"
"Can you point and make that dragon sit somewhere?"
"Yes," Issin stood up.
"Silica, you don't fit in any group in the guild." Silica looked down sadly.
"No, we'll create a whole new group. Forest Party. But it's just going to be you,"
"What will I do?" Silica asked excitedly.
"Hide in the shadows, strike from the dark." Silica leaned forward in anticipation.
"An assassin."